In Their Life
by livy bear
Summary: A collection of short, unconnected drabbles surrounding moments in James and Lily's lives, including a genderbender, post hogwarts, and an au. Rated T to be safe
1. Chapter 1

It was a nice kind of Saturday, sun shining, birds chirping, nobody in the Hospital Wing. Most Gryffindors were outside, taking in the sun that rarely showed during the cold month of October. Most Gryffindors wouldn't be inside (even the ones preparing for NEWTS and OWLS were studying in the sunshine), but for some odd reason neither could explain, James Potter and Lily Evans happened to find themselves in the Common Room. Each had been primly bored and found entertainment in each other. (Oh not like _that_!)

"Do you have any eights?"

"No, go fish!"

"James Potter! I know for a fact that you have at least one eight because you asked not three turns ago if_ I _had any!"

"You can't prove anything."

"I can and will!" Lily Evans lunged forward, stretching her hand out to reach James cards. The boy in question held his cards above his head, and fell backwards onto the couch with her momentum. They had been sitting with their backs on the armrests, cards in between, facing each other, but not Lily was nearly on top of James. His cards were still held out way above them; her right arm was pressed against his chest, and she reached up with her left. James had his left hand gripped the back of the couch as he tried to keep them up.

"Cheater!" He shouted, throwing his head back. Lily had taught him the muggle card game quickly, and he'd picked it up just as quickly, for he was a fast learner.

"You cheated first!" She protested, pushing his face to the side with her hand.

"Only because I didn't think you'd notice!" He admitted with a laugh.

"Aha!" Lily smacked his chest with her hands, abandoning the attempts to see his cards. She collapsed against him in a fit of giggles, not even trying to hold herself up anymore. She could feel James laughing too. His arm that held the cards dropped to her back, circling around her. Lily looked up to face him, suddenly aware of their positioning. She didn't sit up. She didn't know why she didn't, but...there she was, lying on James Potter. He moved to lightly stroke her face with the back of his fingers; Lily leaned into the touch, just a tad. (Okay, more than a tad, but she would never willingly admit that.) They just stared at each other.

He tried not to feel her body against his.

She tried to ignore the little flutter in her chest when he looked at her with those eyes.

"In the _Common Room_, mate?" The sound of Sirius Black's voice cut through the fog that had set in James' and Lily's heads. They jumped apart. Lily adjusted her shirt, collecting the cards together again. James fixed his hair-meaning he ran his hands through it and made it messier.

"Sod off, Padfoot." James muttered, waiting for his heart to start beating like normal

"You have a perfectly useable Head Dorm, yet you chose the _Common Room_?"

"We weren't doing anything." Lily protested, blushing furiously.

"The lady doth protest too much." Sirius smirked.

"Don't quote Shakespeare at me." She rolled her eyes.

"Just choose a room with a closable door next time, Evans." He laughed.

"We weren't _doing _anything!" Lily and James said together, but that only made Sirius laugh harder. He walked out of the Common Room, laughing all the way.

* * *

_Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, places, or whatever. Anything I own is a few OCs that may crop up anywhere throughout these. _


	2. Chapter 2

"Evans!"

The shout carried down the hallway, over the heads of the tens of students, and to Lily's ears. She stopped, halting not only herself, but her friend Dorcas who had been walking with her. The throngs of students pushed and moved past as the shouter made his way over. Lily was still unsure of the identity, before she saw the black hair. Her heart gave a leap, and then dropped when she realized it wasn't the right black hair.

"What do you want, Sirius?" She asked, still irritated from Saturday.

"Let's go for a stroll, shall we?" He threw his arm around her shoulder, and began to lead her away from Dorcas.

"I have Transfiguration," Lily tried to duck under his arm, but his resisted.

"No, no, Meadowes can carry on without you." He turned. "Can't you Meadowes?"

"Go ahead, Lily." Dorcas sighed. "I'll tell McGonagall there was Head business."

"She won't believe-" But Sirius cut her off.

"Wonderful! Come now, Evans." Sirius led her down the corridor a bit while the students around gradually started to diminish. Lily waited patiently, raising an eyebrow at Sirius. He paced around a little before turning to face her. His eyes traveled around her face before any sort of resolve formed in his own. Sirius wondered for a long moment if he was even right, if he could make the accusation at all. Then he thought about Saturday; he thought about the last Hogsmeade trip.

_"-It explodes in the middle of class and everyone would blame him. Brilliant, I know, don't praise me too quickly, Prongs. Prongs? Prongs are you even listening to-" Sirius realized he'd been planning a prank primarily with himself. His best friend was hardly paying any attention to him at all. Instead he was staring twenty feet ahead at, predictably, Lily. She was walking with a couple of her mates, laughing occasionally. Sirius looked back at James, who wore the look of someone completely smitten. It was sweet really, but this was best mate time, not Lily Evans time._

_ "Oy, Prongs!" Sirius snapped, finally catching James's attention._

_ "What?" James frowned at his tone._

_"If you want to talk to her so badly, just do it." He was half kidding, but at the look James gave him...he guessed he'd just have to suck it up and find Peter. James took off in Lily's direction. He shouted her name, jogging to catch up with her. The redhead turned, face immediately lighting up. She responded somehow-Sirius couldn't hear-and took a few steps toward him. They stood very close to each other, smiling and laughing. Something about the way she stood closer to him then was altogether necessary, responded to his every movement inversely, and just how she _looked at him_, something about it all flicked a switch in Sirius's brain. He felt his jaw drop, and then slowly he began to smile._

"How do you feel about James?" Sirius asked finally. He watched carefully as Lily's face-whether she knew it or not-lit up like a Christmas tree. Her eyes shined brighter, and her smile stretched across her face more earnestly. The idea that Sirius had been thinking on solidified in his head. _Of course_, he thought.

"What do you mean?" She took a stab at casualty.

"Just...what do you think of him?"

"I think he's a prat." There wasn't any negativity in the statement. "He's ridiculously full of himself, and his head couldn't be any larger. He thinks he's brilliant, and he is sometimes. He's also very sweet. And funny. And an amazing Quidditch player. He's clever too." She stopped, seeming to realize the implications of her string of compliments.

"I thought so."

"What?"

"You fancy him." Sirius said plainly and turned to walk away.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N warning: this one's a genderbender, so if you don't like those, carry on. If you do, well here you are! I tried not to tamper with how the characters carried themselves too much.**

* * *

"Alright, Evans?" The boisterous voice of Jamie Potter, Quidditch Captain, Head Girl, and known prankster carried through the Common Room, and straight to Liam Evans' ears. Liam, who was Head Boy, sighed, leaning his head back against the couch. He looked to the girls' stairs, and watched as Jamie bounded down with the rest of her cohorts in tow. Siri Black, Raemona Lupin, and Paige Pettigrew were smiling and laughing casually, finding their own space to enjoy the row that was likely to ensue.

"Find some other unfortunate soul to annoy, please, Potter." Liam placed his hand over his eyes, blocking out the loud crimson decorating every inch of the walls.

"But that would be cheating!" Liam felt the couch give a little, as Jamie obviously had plopped herself down on it.

"Cheating in what?" He sighed.

"Our relationship, of course!" She sounded aghast.

"You mean the one that exists solely in your head?"

"That's the one, love."

"You're mad." Liam managed to compress the laugh that was building in his throat. He would never willingly let on that Jamie entertained him, unless it was a day falling into the raven haired girl's favor.

"I didn't hear an objection." Jamie shifted her weight forward.

"To what?" He dropped his hand from his eyes, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"To being called love!" Her grin could have lit a city, Liam decided.

"Bugger off, Jamie."

"Anything you say, love." And she did. Jamie moved across the Common Room, over to her friends, and proceeded to tell them everything. Liam wrongly thought he'd get some piece. Until Siri dropped in that is.

"No lovers quarrel?" She pouted, resting her head of curly black hair on her hand.

"Who invited you over?"

"I'm welcome anywhere, anytime." Siri leaned forward, a glint playing in her eyes. "That's the beauty of being me, Evans."

"That's the beauty of being a _slag_." He corrected.

"Aren't you always the one going on about feminism?" She laughed.

"Did _she _send you?" He avoided the question, with a pointed glance at Jamie.

"I have my own mind." She stuck her tongue out.

"Doesn't seem that way." Liam huffed, burying his nose a little deeper in the book he'd been reading.

"Any other cheap shots you'd like to make while we're at it?" Siri crossed her arms, neatly displaying the way her shirt had maybe one-too-many buttons undone. Not that Liam was taking any sort of note to that. If anything, he noticed the way Jamie's skirt was a little too short for code, or how her messy hair was falling in strands out of her ponytail, and her shirt was a little..._snug_. Again, not that Liam was looking.

"You have a boy's name." Liam said calmly, trying semi-successfully to keep his mind off of the girl on the other side of the room. He was referring to the full, given name Siri had been enrolled with, which was Sirius. Her parents, apparently, had picked the name out, thinking it'd be a boy, and upon birth, were far too embarrassed to change it on the spot. So Sirius it was, and Siri was the nickname awarded to her by Jamie and the rest.

"I WAS NAMED AFTER A _STAR_, NOT A BLOODY PERSON! THERE'S NO SET GENDER!" Siri exclaimed loudly, slamming her fist down on the couch with every word.

"Remind Jamie about patrols would you?" Liam said, snapping his book shut, and standing. He walked to the boys' stairs, pausing just before going up them. A quick look to Jamie, and then he added, nearly to himself, "I don't want her late again."


	4. Chapter 4

_Oh no_. _Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh_-

"Lil, are you alright in there?"

Lily Potter straightened from her hunched position over the toilet at the sound of her husband's voice. A quick glance at the clock told her she'd been in there for twenty minutes. Twenty minutes since she left the Christmas Party. Twenty minutes since she took the muggle test. Twenty minutes since she'd performed every spell she knew to back it up. Twenty minutes since her life changed. Twenty minutes. She really did owe him an answer, since she wasn't planning on leaving the bathroom anytime soon. "Yes, fine. Perfectly alright."

"Please let me in." His voice was soft through the door, and her stomach twisted uncomfortably. She dropped a hand to it, silently willing the meal she'd eaten to stay down.

"James, I'm fine." She insisted. "Go back to the party. Entertain Sirius and make sure he doesn't break my mother's ornaments."

"If you're sure..."

"I am."

"Come out soon." Hearing his retreating footsteps, she felt safe enough to let out a sigh. The offending test caught her eye, sitting on the counter just next to her wand. With one, violent swipe of her hand it was on the floor. She didn't want to look at it, think about it, or the future it implied. She was twenty-one, barely an adult! She couldn't handle a... And what would James think? He was always going on about how Alice and Frank were mad thinking it would work out. He would never want... But was she judging it too fast? Obviously, she couldn't keep working as an Auror, nor do as many missions for the Order. James would insist on quitting as well, but they couldn't get by like that forever. Or, maybe they could, she was a _Potter _now, and James was loaded. No way she would _let _him quit though; he loved it too much.

Their flat was just so tiny, the only extra room being used for storage. They would have to move somewhere larger, but not like the mansion James had grown up in. He'd told Lily millions of times how he hated the place. 'Too big and not enough family to occupy it,' he'd told her once upon a time. Not enough family was less of a problem now...

Lily's stomach clenched again and she threw herself over the toilet, wreching up what little food her nausea had allowed her to eat in the first place. She weakly flushed, moving immediately to wash her mouth out. Sinking to the floor, with her head on the toilet rim, she took several calming breaths. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Lily muttered from her new position, not willing enough to keep whoever it was out. The bathroom door creaked open, and a mess of curly black hair shoved through the crack.

"Prongs is worried about you." He stated, stepping the rest of the way in after determining the redhead was not, in fact, indecent.

"I am _fine_." She insisted again, but anyone with half a brain could see she wasn't. So she watched as Sirius' eyes left her, searching the bathroom for evidence. That's when she remembered what she'd knocked to the floor. Their eyes found it at the same time. Lily continued staring at it as his eyes drifted back to her, and bore a hole through the side of her head.

"Lily," He prompted, sitting across from her. His hands wrapped around her own, comfortingly. Lily's green eyes met his grey ones, and she felt the strong brotherly bond she never would have expected a mere three years prior. She knew that he would listen to anything she'd say now, and he'd comfort her if she needed it, or even back her up if she decided not to keep it.

"I'm pregnant."

"That's why you've been in here so long?"

"I don't know what to do." Lily looked up, horrified to find tears in her eyes. She hadn't meant to start crying.

"Are you going to keep it?"

"_Of course I am_," Her eyes narrowed to a glare. No matter how unexpected it was, she would _never_...and Sirius knew that!

"Are you going to tell James?" Sirius let her anger roll off his back.

"Not right now,"

"Scared?"

"Terrified," He nodded, as if he'd expected her answer. Enveloping her in his arms, she let herself cry. He didn't comment or move, just comforting her like a brother should. Arms around her, chin on her head, soothingly patting her back, he muttered soothing things she didn't quite listen to. After a long period of silence, there was another knock at the door. This time there was no doubt in Lily's mind who was knocking, and she was proved correct as James slipped in.

"You've been in here for an hour." He stated, plopping himself down on Lily's right.

"We've been talking." Sirius said catching the pleading look Lily sent him.

"About?"

"Things," He smirked, and then jumped up. "I think I hear Marlene calling. So I'll leave you three to yourselves." The door clicked shut, and Lily stared at it, jaw dropped. She could not _believe _that man's _nerve_! How dare he? She was just about ready to walk out the bathroom herself, and hex him into the next millennia.

"Three? Lily, what's he talking about?" James sounded a mite-bit frantic. Lily dared to look him in the eyes, but instead only caught his gaze as it drifted down to her abdomen and stayed there. He swallowed with some difficulty, eyes bulging slightly. "_Lily_?" He prodded, still staring at her midsection like it would suddenly begin to speak and reveal everything.

"I'm going to murder Sirius." She managed to spit out. Her own fear had stilled her entire body, as she awaited James' reaction to the news she hadn't properly told him yet.

"Lily, are you...are we?" The sentenced trailed off, and James lifted his gaze to her petrified face.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered for the second time that day.

"How far along?" James asked, eyeing her midsection again.

"Um, about a month probably,"

"A _month_, Lily?" He sounded hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I only found out for certain today!" She nearly yelled, feeling her stomach cramp again. Throwing herself against the toilet again, she heaved. James' hands were immediately holding her hair back, and rubbing her back soothingly. Lily really wished the vomiting would stop, but her nerves were on edge and, merlin, did morning sickness really have to last _all day_? She moved away from the toilet, resting her head instead on her husband's shoulder.

"What are we going to do?" He muttered, pressing a kiss to her temple. But Lily didn't know. She was so confused by all of it. Pregnant. She was _pregnant_. There was a baby inside her right now that was growing. A _baby_, her and James' baby. Theirs, it was all theirs. Half of him, half of her, all of them. She looked at her husband, refusing to imagine what it would look like. Though, deep down inside she wished for everything of him in a tiny little bundle. She wanted the baby to have his hair, his smile, his sense of humor and confidence, his bravery, his nose, his jaw, cheekbones, the way his eyes would melt like chocolate in the summer when he looked at something he loved. Everything of him, and maybe some of her. Maybe her compassion, her eyes since James loved them so, her perfectly straight teeth.

She found herself smiling, even in her confusion and fear. They had each other, James and Lily, and the baby would have them too. They had no idea what they were doing, and they had no business having a child in the middle of a war. But they had the rest of their lives to figure it out. The rest of forever to learn and raise their baby. What would they do? Right now on the bathroom floor, they would support each other. They would keep loving each other. They would move to a bigger house, paint a nursery, and keep loving each other. They would make Sirius and Marlene the Godparents, trust only Remus to babysit, and keep loving each other. It was a moment of clarity. They would live. They would die. They would keep loving each other.

But that was a hefty order, and a lot to say on Christmas Eve in the bathroom. So Lily Potter lied.

"I don't know."


	5. Chapter 5

It was a cold day in December that Lily Evans walked to the Quidditch Pitch. She was never one to have any acclamation to watch the matches; it was cold, the seats were hard, and she found the Library much more inviting. However, for some reason on that below freezing day, Lily found herself and her best friend, Severus Snape, walking to the Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor game. She could blame the fact that her closest friend in Gryffindor, Marlene Mckinnon, was on the team this year, but she knew down in her heart of hearts it was because of _him_.

_"Evans!" The familiar call of her surname set jolts of electricity through her bones. She found herself biting back a grin in expectation of a battle of wits. Ones she looked forward to on a regular basis-very unhealthy, that. _

_ "Potter," She greeted, forcing her unamused tone._

_ "Why don't you ever go to Quidditch games?" He plopped himself on the couch next to her, rumpling her papers and knocking a book off._

_ "Why would I?" She scrunched her nose up in distaste._

_ "Because they're _fun_,"_

_ "They're loud and cold." _

_ "Have you ever been to a game?" He crossed his arms, and she hesitated._

_ "In First Year," She ducked her head to avoid the blush that was spreading its way across her face. No way in hell would James Potter need to know that she was blushing; his head was large enough!_

_ "There you are then!" He sighed, running a hand absently through his hair. "I wasn't on the team in First Year!"_

_ "Oh that explains it." She said dryly._

_ "One game, this weekend," He held his finger up. "Then you can pass judgment."_

_ Lily hesitated again. Did she really want to make Potter a deal? Was it worth it? In the end, she decided one game couldn't hurt. She'd bring Sev along as well, to keep perspective. "Fine, one game, and it's _not _a date!"_

_ "Never said it was, Evans," _

So she'd come to the game because James was playing. No, ugh, she meant Potter. _Potter _was captain this year, and _Potter _was playing. No, fine, James. It was Fifth Year, and she didn't really hate him as much as she let on, so why not call him James in her head? She could even admit that she fancied him a little. Only a little though, and it was purely a physical attraction thing. He was the biggest prat in the school, save for Sirius Black. She often found herself thinking that if he'd deflated his head just a little, she may agree to go out with him. It wasn't likely, and the thought often made her guilty. Though, it wasn't like anyone could read her mind. Except maybe a Legilimen, but she didn't know any of those.

"Lily, are you even listening to what I'm saying?" The voice of her best friend cut through her thoughts. Severus was staring at her with slight distaste, almost like he knew what she was thinking.

"No sorry," She flushed, hoping he'd dismiss it as the cold. "Could you say it again?"

"Why are we going to a Quidditch game?" He narrowed his eyes.

She sighed, audibly. This, she'd told him more than once. "Marlene is playing and I want to see her."

"You're lying."

"Can we just find seats?" Lily avoided his gaze once they'd reached the top of the spectator section. She looked around, eyes searching for an empty space, or Gryffindor friends. She'd just managed to locate Mary MacDonald and her boyfriend, Reginald Cattermole, before Severus grabbed her arm, and pulled her up towards the back of the stands. Not protesting, she moved with him.

In the area he'd chosen sat only Hufflepuffs Lily didn't know. She was sure they didn't know her either, and that irked her to no end. Obviously Sev had picked the one spot where no one would recognize them, and he wouldn't have to explain himself to his little Slytherin buddies. She frowned, staring pointedly at the Pitch, and waiting for the game to begin.

"You're angry." He observed.

"Gee, Sev, what tipped you off?" She snapped.

"You're here for _him_." He pointedly ignored her sarcasm.

"I'm here for my friend." She knew he could see straight through her purposeful vagueness. Over the course of her Fifth Year, she'd begun a tentative sort of yelling-friendship with James. She wasn't all too sure why, and she knew it would blow up in her face, but she couldn't help herself. There was just something about the stupid prat.

"I'm your friend, Lily." He sounded so wounded, she had to turn and look. He wasn't looking at her though, he was staring forward. She narrowed her eyes, dissecting what he'd said. Lily was very aware of his feelings for her; he wasn't as mystically hard to read as he thought, but she never brought it up because it would embarrass him. She considered him; he wasn't exactly _unattractive_, though his nose was a little off-putting at first. He had a nice sort of smile when he did smile. If he washed his hair a little more...but this was Sev. This was her friend, she was thinking about. He was into the Dark Arts, though he tried to hide it. And she couldn't-_wouldn't_-dare to think about someone who followed that passion. That _man_, Voldemort, whom Severus seemed to think, was brilliant. No. This was Severus.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the announcement that the game would begin. She felt the excitement in the crowd rising with her own, and she couldn't help but get to her feet with the rest. As they announced Gryffindor, Lily's eyes found him immediately.

As is tradition, the players do a lap around the stands, and as James flew past her, Lily shouted for him. It felt different to be cheering with her classmates, and she soon forgot the thoughts she'd had about Sev as the game roared on. The whole time, she was animatedly jumping to her feet, booing, clapping, and chanting with everyone. It was as much fun as he'd promised, and briefly, for a second, she wondered what else was more fun than she'd originally thought. Quidditch certainly, but her mind drifted to dating. Dating James Potter. Hmm.

"I'm leaving." Severus announced suddenly. He pushed past Lily, and moved down the steps.

"Sev, wait!"

"No, Lily," He turned to give her one of the most scathing looks she'd ever received from the quite Slytherin. "I'm going by myself. Finish your game. Go Gryffindor." She could taste the malice in those couple of words. Instead of returning to the seat she'd occupied the whole time, Lily moved to wear she'd seen Mary earlier, spending the remainder of the game with the spritely Gryffindor.

Gryffindor won 290 to 140 after four grueling hours of cheering. Lily could barely speak, but she managed to scream along with everyone else, rushing down to the Pitch to congratulate the team. She found Marlene right away, hugging her and congratulating her. Lily was so amped on the whole experience; she hugged Sirius, kissed the female, Seventh Year, seeker on the cheek, high-fived Hestia, and practically tackled the keeper.

Without her knowing, of course, her eyes had been wandering, searching for that familiar ever-messy black hair. When Lily spotted him, there was no way she could stop herself. He came out of the locker room, broom over shoulder, Quidditch uniform still on, but obviously showered by the state of his hair. He looked absolutely perfect, and it was the first time-but not that last-that she would think so.

"James!" She smiled up at the taller boy. Even at fifteen, he nearly towered over her, a whole head higher. She subconsciously pocketed the idea that he could very easily rest his head on the top of hers.

"Lily, you came!" She watched as his already happy exterior shined brighter. Barely noticing the use of each other's first names, they both had a moment of calm smiling at each other.

"Of course I came, you prat." She moved without thinking, wrapping her arms around his middle and hugging him. "Congratulations on the game!"

He smiled down at her, not hesitating in the slightest to respond to the hug. "After party in the Commons, you coming?"

"I suppose..." She sighed, pulling away. He laughed, shoving her with his shoulder in the playful way she'd grown accustomed.

The Gryffindors made their way back up to the castle, cheering and shouting still. The near empty hallways echoed with the loud voices, and Lily, for the first time, found herself smiling and enjoying the noise. Maybe it was easy to hate something you didn't understand or weren't a part of. Maybe she'd have to rethink a lot of things.

"You were right, you know." She said, as James and she began to trail behind the group as they reached the portrait hole.

"About,"

"A lot of things,"

"Such as,"

"Persistent aren't we?"

"The word you're looking for is _thorough_."

"Stubborn, too,"

"_Evans_," James warned.

"_Potter_," Lily shot back in a playful tone she would later blame the post-game-high for.

"Throw me a bone, just this once?" He gave her an earnest, hopeful little smile. God, it's like he knew just how to pull her strings. Without thinking, for the hundredth time that day, Lily sidled herself up closer to James. She placed her hands on either side of his face.

"Pay attention because I'm only doing this once. Ever." With that, she pulled his face down to meet hers. In typical Lily style, she paused before pressing her lips to his. It was their first kiss, and it seemed she was having a lot of firsts that day. She tried really hard not to think about how easily their lips fell into a rhythm, or how as James pulled her closer, their bodies seemed to fit perfectly. It was nearly impossible not to think about how his hair felt as she ran her fingers through it. Wait, her hands were in his hair? When had they done that? No, hold on, only one hand was in his hair; the other was...gripping his shirt collar. Of course it was. Where were his hands? A quick inventory of her body revealed that A) she was pressed against a wall she did not remember being there in the beginning, B) James had both of his hands resting on her lower back (and she _liked _them there!), C) there was now tongue action and it was glorious, and D) she had let this go on too far for too long. She broke away, well, as much as she could with a wall behind her. James kept his face within inches of hers, though.

"That," Lily began, breathless. "Is your Christmas, birthday, and Easter present."

"I can't wait 'til next year." He muttered, swooping back in for more, but Lily ducked out from his hold. She smiled at him, if only for a moment, before scoffing.

Next year, indeed.

* * *

**A/N- Pretty please give me a review? I love reading them!**

**I apologize for the slight ooc-ness of Lily and James, especially towards the end. I just really wanted them to kiss, okay?**


	6. Chapter 6

"-And the third brother greeted Death as an old friend." James was saying from beside the fireplace, as Lily smiled fondly on her husband and one year old. The day had been a sunny one and a good one, with no bickering between the couple, and little to no fussing from Harry about anything. And now, as the moon took the sun's place in the sky, James Potter read the Tale of Three Brothers to his son.

She had gone outside that day, with Harry, so he could see the fallen leaves. He'd loved it, waddling as much as he could from leaf to leaf. James had kept his wand out the whole time, watching keenly for tottering that would signal the baby's downfall. Though Lily never would have thought it, James was a wonderful father; he was more protective than even she, and she found herself telling _him _to relax. Her, Lily Evans-er, Potter, Lily Potter, that was still new-was convincing James Potter to calm down.

"James," She spoke quietly, catching the eye of her husband. He looked up adoringly from Harry, and Lily had to catch her breath. Not for the first time, she realized how much James really loved his son. She never could have imagined having a child in these times, but with the way James was...well, she could imagine having more. Actually, she didn't have to imagine, but it was late and she would tell him the news in the morning.

"What is it?" He smiled at her, glasses hanging at the tip of his nose.

"It's getting late, Harry should go to sleep."

"Aw, Lil, just one more story!"

"James Potter!" She scolded, laughing. With a sigh of resignation he held Harry out for her to take. Harry held his chubby, baby fingers up to Lily.

"Muuuh!" He cried happily, almost forming the word 'mum'.

"Hello, love!" Lily swept her baby into her arms, kissing his tiny nose. She bounced him on her hip, lightly brushing her fingers through the wisps of hair on his head. One spectacular year with the light of her life and she could barely imagine how amazing her life would be with another. Another little boy like Harry or a little girl like James had secretly wanted the first time. She remembered how many times James had referred to Harry as 'she' before he was born.

Lily suddenly felt arms circle around her, and she looked up to see James standing before her with Harry between them. He was staring at their son in that way that made Lily's heart melt. His whole persona changed, hard mask of war falling away and only love shining through. Lily supposed that was how she looked at Harry as well, but now, she could only stare at James. "Sweet dreams, Harry." James plopped a kiss on top of his head. "See you in the morning. Happy Halloween."

"I have something I want to tell you later." She whispered to James, as Harry dozed in her arms. He nodded consent, and she planted a tender kiss on his lips. Merlin she loved him. He would be so happy, she decided. Imagining his face when she finally would get to say the words, 'I'm pregnant' put a rush to her movements. She only need get Harry up into his crib, and then he'd know. Lily had only made it halfway up the second step before the quiet click of the front door unlocking sounded through the cottage.

_Shit_.

* * *

**A/N- So I may have cried a little when I wrote this. Review please?**


End file.
